How to Set Up Parental Controls on iPhone and iPad (iOS 18 Guide)

Apple's built-in Screen Time feature has improved dramatically since iOS 12. Combined with Family Sharing, it gives parents genuine control over iPhones and iPads — but it has specific quirks and limitations that frustrate many families. This guide walks through the complete iOS parental control setup and explains what to do when Apple's tools aren't enough.

If your child uses Android, see our Android parental controls guide. For age-appropriate screen time targets to configure in Screen Time, check our screen time limits by age guide.

Step 1: Set Up Family Sharing

Family Sharing is the foundation of Apple's parental controls. It links your Apple ID to your child's, allowing you to manage their settings remotely.

1. On your iPhone, go to Settings → [Your Name] → Family Sharing → Set Up Family Sharing.
2. Add your child's Apple ID (or create one for them if they don't have one).
3. For children under 13, use Apple's child account creation flow — this automatically enables Ask to Buy and restricts explicit content.

Step 2: Configure Screen Time on Your Child's Device

Once Family Sharing is set up, manage your child's Screen Time from your own iPhone:

1. Go to Settings → Screen Time → [Child's Name].
2. Tap "Turn On Screen Time" on their device if prompted.
3. Set a Screen Time Passcode that only you know — this prevents your child from changing settings.

Key Screen Time Settings to Configure

Downtime: Schedule periods when only calls and apps you choose are available. Set this for school hours and bedtime. During Downtime, all other apps show a locked icon.

App Limits: Set daily time limits per app category (Social Networking, Games, Entertainment) or per individual app. When the limit is reached, the app shows a time-up screen. Note: your child can request an extension — decide whether to allow this in the settings.

Always Allowed: Choose which apps are always available, even during Downtime. Phone calls, Messages (if age-appropriate), and specific educational apps go here.

Content & Privacy Restrictions: This is the most comprehensive section. Set:

• Content Ratings: restrict movies to G or PG, TV shows to TV-Y7, etc.
• Explicit language: off in Siri, Music, and Podcasts
• Web Content: "Limit Adult Websites" or specific allowed/blocked websites
• App installs: require approval for all new downloads
• Privacy settings: prevent changes to location sharing, contacts, etc.

Step 3: Configure Individual App Controls

• YouTube: On iOS, use the YouTube Kids app or enable Restricted Mode in the YouTube app settings.
• Safari: Under Content & Privacy → Web Content, select "Limit Adult Websites" — this activates SafeSearch and blocks known adult content domains.
• TikTok: Enable TikTok's built-in "Family Pairing" to link your account to your child's and set content restrictions from your account.
• Instagram: Enable "Supervision" in Instagram settings and connect parent/child accounts.

The Limitation: The Screen Time Passcode Bypass

Apple Screen Time has a well-known vulnerability: if a child knows your Screen Time passcode (or can watch you type it), they can disable all restrictions. Additionally, on some iOS versions, resetting the Screen Time passcode requires only the device passcode — which your child may know.

Mitigation: Use a Screen Time passcode different from your device passcode, your Apple ID password, and any other codes your child might know.

What Apple Screen Time Doesn't Do

• It cannot read iMessages or SMS conversations
• It cannot show you website URLs visited — only time spent in Safari overall
• It cannot control Smart TVs or Fire TV — if your child also watches a Fire TV Stick or Android TV, those are completely outside Apple's ecosystem. See our Fire TV parental controls guide to cover those devices.
• App Limits show time per category — not per specific app within the category on older iOS versions

Using Cylux Alongside Apple Screen Time

For families who want monitoring beyond what Apple provides, Cylux works alongside Screen Time:

• Cylux adds GPS tracking with geofencing alerts
• Cross-device dashboard: manage the iPhone and the family Smart TV from the same app
• SOS panic button: your child can send an emergency location ping with one tap
• Communication logs: on Android family member devices (Cylux has iOS limitations similar to Apple's own restrictions for third-party SMS access)

On iPhone, Cylux primarily adds value through its cross-device management (covering Smart TV and Fire TV that Apple's ecosystem doesn't touch) and its location features. See all Cylux features.

For iPad: The Same Setup, One Extra Step

Set up Screen Time on the iPad the same way as iPhone. One additional consideration for iPads: if your child uses the iPad for school and it's on a managed school MDM profile, the school's profile may conflict with your Screen Time settings. Check with your school before setting restrictions that might affect schoolwork.

Regular Maintenance: Review Activity Weekly

Screen Time generates a weekly report under Settings → Screen Time. Review it each Sunday and have a brief conversation with your child about what you see. This keeps the conversation going and lets you adjust limits as their needs change.

Try Cylux free to extend parental control coverage to your family's Smart TV and Android devices alongside Apple Screen Time.